Dean R. Haeffner

Electron distribution in water

The x-ray structure factor of water measured under ambient conditions with synchrotron radiation is compared with those predicted on the basis of partial structure factors describing the nuclear positions obtained by neutron diffraction and of different assumptions for the electron distribution. The comparison indicates that a charge of approximately 0.5 e is transferred from each hydrogen atom to the oxygen on the same molecule, implying an effective dipole moment of 2.9 D, in good agreement with theoretical estimates.

Mapping the chemical states of an element inside a sample using tomographic x-ray absorption spectroscopy

Hard x-ray absorption spectroscopy is combined with scanning microtomography to reconstruct full near-edge spectra of an elemental species at each location on an arbitrary virtual section through a sample. These spectra reveal the local concentrations of different chemical compounds of the absorbing element inside the sample and give insight into the oxidation state, the local atomic structure, and the local projected free density of states. The method is implemented by combining a quick scanning monochromator and data acquisition system with a scanning microprobe setup based on refractive x-ray lenses.

The structure of tellurite glass : a combined NMR, neutron diffraction, and X-ray diffraction study

Models are presented of sodium tellurite glasses in the composition range (Na{sub 2}0){sub x}-(TeO{sub 2}){sub 1{minus}x}. 0.1 < x < 0.3. The models combine self-consistently data from three different and complementary sources: sodium-23 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), neutron diffraction, and x-ray diffraction. The models were generated using the Reverse Monte Carlo algorithm, modified to include NMR data in addition to diffraction data. The presence in the models of all five tellurite polyhedra consistent with the Te{sup +4} oxidation state were found to be necessary to achieve agreement with the data. The distribution of polyhedra among these types varied from a predominance of highly bridged species at low sodium content, to polyhedra with one or zero bridging oxygen at high sodium content. The models indicate that the sodium cations themselves form sodium oxide clusters particularly at the x = 0.2 composition.

New high temperature furnace for structure refinement by powder diffraction in controlled atmospheres using synchrotron radiation

A low thermal gradient furnace design is described which utilizes Debye–Scherrer geometry for performing high temperature x-ray powder diffraction with synchrotron radiation at medium and high energies (35–100 keV). The furnace has a maximum operating temperature of 1800 K with a variety of atmospheres including oxidizing, inert, and reducing. The capability for sample rotation, to ensure powder averaging, has been built into the design without compromising thermal stability or atmosphere control. The ability to perform high-resolution Rietveld refinement on data obtained at high temperatures has been demonstrated, and data collected on standard Al2O3 powder is presented. Time-resolved data on the orthorhombic to rhombohedral solid state phase transformation of SrCO3 is demonstrated using image plates. Rietveld refinable spectra, collected in as little as 8 s, opens the possibility of performing time-resolved structural refinements of phase transformations.

Synchrotron X-ray diffraction study of load partitioning during elastic deformation of bovine dentin.

The elastic properties of dentin, a biological composite consisting of stiff hydroxyapatite (HAP) nano-platelets within a compliant collagen matrix, are determined by the volume fraction of these two phases and the load transfer between them. We have measured the elastic strains in situ within the HAP phase of bovine dentine by high energy X-ray diffraction for a series of static compressive stresses at ambient temperature. The apparent HAP elastic modulus (ratio of applied stress to elastic HAP strain) was found to be 18+/-2GPa. This value is significantly lower than the value of 44GPa predicted by the lower bound load transfer Voigt model, using HAP and collagen volume fractions determined by thermo-gravimetric analysis. This discrepancy is explained by (i) a reduction in the intrinsic Youngs modulus of the nano-size HAP platelets due to the high fraction of interfacial volume and (ii) an increase in local stresses due to stress concentration around the dentin tubules.

A new model to simulate the elastic properties of mineralized collagen fibril

Bone, because of its hierarchical composite structure, exhibits an excellent combination of stiffness and toughness, which is due substantially to the structural order and deformation at the smaller length scales. Here, we focus on the mineralized collagen fibril, consisting of hydroxyapatite plates with nanometric dimensions aligned within a protein matrix, and emphasize the relationship between the structure and elastic properties of a mineralized collagen fibril. We create two- and three-dimensional representative volume elements to represent the structure of the fibril and evaluate the importance of the parameters defining its structure and properties of the constituent mineral and collagen phase. Elastic stiffnesses are calculated by the finite element method and compared with experimental data obtained by synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The computational results match the experimental data well, and provide insight into the role of the phases and morphology on the elastic deformation characteristics. Also, the effects of water, imperfections in the mineral phase and mineral content outside the mineralized collagen fibril upon its elastic properties are discussed.

Synchrotron applications of an amorphous silicon flat-panel detector

A GE Revolution 41RT flat-panel detector (GE 41RT) from GE Healthcare (GE) has been in operation at the Advanced Photon Source for over two years. The detector has an active area of 41 cm x 41 cm with 200 microm x 200 microm pixel size. The nominal working photon energy is around 80 keV. The physical set-up and utility software of the detector system are discussed in this article. The linearity of the detector response was measured at 80.7 keV. The memory effect of the detector element, called lag, was also measured at different exposure times and gain settings. The modulation transfer function was measured in terms of the line-spread function using a 25 microm x 1 cm tungsten slit. The background (dark) signal, the signal that the detector will carry without exposure to X-rays, was measured at three different gain settings and with exposure times of 1 ms to 15 s. The radial geometric flatness of the sensor panel was measured using the diffraction pattern from a CeO(2) powder standard. The large active area and fast data-capturing rate, i.e. 8 frames s(-1) in radiography mode, 30 frames s(-1) in fluoroscopy mode, make the GE 41RT one of a kind and very versatile in synchrotron diffraction. The loading behavior of a Cu/Nb multilayer material is used to demonstrate the use of the detector in a strain-stress experiment. Data from the measurement of various samples, amorphous SiO(2) in particular, are presented to show the detector effectiveness in pair distribution function measurements.

Nanophase Evolution at Semiconductor/Electrolyte Interface in Situ Probed by Time-Resolved High-Energy Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction

Real-time evolution of nanoparticles grown at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface formed between a single crystalline n-type GaAs wafer and an aqueous solution of AgNO(3) has been studied by using high-energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The results reveal the distinct nucleation and growth steps involved in the growth of anisotropic Ag nanoplates on the surface of the GaAs wafer. For the first time, a quick transit stage is observed to be responsible for the structural transformation of the nuclei to form structurally stable seeds that are critical for guiding their anisotropic growth into nanoplates. Reaction between a GaAs wafer and AgNO(3) solution at room temperature primarily produces Ag nanoplates on the surface of the GaAs wafer in the dark and at room temperature. In contrast, X-ray irradiation can induce charge separation in the GaAs wafer to drive the growth of nanoparticles made of silver oxy salt (Ag(7)NO(11)) and silver arsenate (Ag(3)AsO(4)) at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface if the GaAs wafer is illuminated by the X-ray and reaction time is long enough.

Quantum effects on the structure of water at constant temperature and constant atomic density

To explore quantum effects on the structure of liquid water, we have carried out high-energy x-ray diffraction measurements of quantum differences both under isothermal conditions at 24.5 °C and under isochoral conditions at 0.0997 atom/A3. The measured isothermal difference correlation function is approximately equivalent to an isochoric temperature differential (ITD) of 5.5 °C, reflecting the tendency of quantum effects to introduce more disorder into the liquid. The measured isochoral correlation function is about three times higher in amplitude and is approximately equivalent to an ITD of 19 °C. Since the isochoral measurements for H2O and D2O were made at temperatures 13.5 °C apart, the isothermal and isochoral functions are roughly consistent. The discrepancies are discussed with reference to data on the pressure dependence in the literature. They are comparable with differences in results obtained with different potential functions in path-integral molecular dynamics simulations. The present results lend further validity to the notion that quantum effects on the structure of liquid water are similar to those of thermal disorder, as long as the effects of differences in the equation-of-state of H2O and D2O are taken into account.To explore quantum effects on the structure of liquid water, we have carried out high-energy x-ray diffraction measurements of quantum differences both under isothermal conditions at 24.5 °C and under isochoral conditions at 0.0997 atom/A3. The measured isothermal difference correlation function is approximately equivalent to an isochoric temperature differential (ITD) of 5.5 °C, reflecting the tendency of quantum effects to introduce more disorder into the liquid. The measured isochoral correlation function is about three times higher in amplitude and is approximately equivalent to an ITD of 19 °C. Since the isochoral measurements for H2O and D2O were made at temperatures 13.5 °C apart, the isothermal and isochoral functions are roughly consistent. The discrepancies are discussed with reference to data on the pressure dependence in the literature. They are comparable with differences in results obtained with different potential functions in path-integral molecular dynamics simulations. The present result...

Microscale damage evolution and stress redistribution in Ti–SiC fiber composites

Abstract Local damage evolution in a composite is the primary micromechanical process determining its fracture toughness, strength, and lifetime. In this study, high energy X-ray microdiffraction was used to measure the lattice strains of both phases in a Ti–SiC fiber composite laminate. The data provided in situ load transfer information under applied tensile stress at the scale of the microstructure. To better understand damage evolution, predictions of a modified shear lag model were compared to the strain data. This comparison (1) demonstrated the importance of accounting for the matrix axial and shear stiffness, (2) optimized the stiffness ratio for load transfer, and (3) improved the interpretation of the ideal planar geometry commonly used in micromechanical composite models. In addition, the results proved the matrix within and around the damage zone sustained substantial axial load and locally yielded. It was also shown that an area detector is essential in such a diffraction study as it provides multi-axial strain data and helps eliminate the “graininess” problem.